LinkedIn: Creating a Hire-Worthy Profile

Well folks, it is the Spring internship season meaning recruiters are looking RIGHT NOW for interns for Summer 2016! So, whether you have no clue what you want to do this summer or are currently applying, it is super important to have a professional and up-to-date LinkedIn profile!

Before I started college, I had no idea what LinkedIn even was. Luckily, with the help of a great workshop at my school, I created a profile which helped me land internship last summer!

Your LinkedIn Photo

The first step to creating a hire-worthy LinkedIn is having a professional looking photograph. You do not have to spend money on this (although if you want to be really fancy you can!) Make sure the photo has good lighting, and you are the only person in the photo!

Here are some good examples of LinkedIn profile pictures:

Your LinkedIn Summary

Here is the spot where you are going to write a little bit about yourself and what you are interested in! If you are currently looking for a specific internship or volunteer position, this is a good spot to write that! This will quickly grab the attention of whoever is looking at your profile. Include keywords that describe you that will show up in searches. Also, according to Link Humans, ‘a summary of 40 words or more makes you more likely to turn up in a future employers search!’

The Bulk of Your LinkedIn Profile

The rest of your profile (experience, education, volunteer, awards, etc) is where you are going to tell the most about yourself. Be specific but not too wordy! Tell what your past work experience taught you. Here is an example of what I wrote about my internship last summer:

And what I wrote about the volunteer club that I started at my high school:

You do not need to write about every experience that you have ever had. Rather, choose which ones were most meaningful to you and which ones you think show off your skills! Remember to be detailed in your explanations.

Your LinkedIn Skills

The skill section of your LinkedIn profile will give employers a quick look at different assets that you have! Be creative in this section. Even though I am not looking for jobs that have to do with violin, I still listed ‘Violin’ as a skill that I have! Think of everything that you consider strengths of yours that would be valuable to employers.

LinkedIn Groups

Groups are a great way to network. My college has a group for alums and current students which is great for meeting people in the work force! A few different clubs I am in on campus also have groups that you can join. Find out if your college/university has a group and see if you are eligible to join!

Lastly, LinkedIn is super user friendly and helpful for building your profile. So even if you are feeling a bit overwhelmed, just take it one step at a time and you will have a great profile in no time!

Feel free to reach out to me if you have any other LinkedIn questions-I am happy to help!